The outpouring of heartfelt emotion all over the world at the news that Nelson Mandela was ill in hospital straightened our backs and concentrated the mind.

We all prepared for the moment we knew was never too far away, yet nonetheless are all unwilling to accept will inevitably arrive.

Madiba is still with us, and for that we are all relieved. We’re all still very wounded following the global grief which followed the loss of Michael Jackson.

Perhaps, our collective chord of compassion is still far too frail to confront the tragedy of an even bigger legend’s departure.

And this got me thinking; for whom else, and where else, would there be either a national or global outpouring of grief?

Who in the world do we really love? Whom, upon hearing had become critically ill today, would we lay vigil outside a hospital on freezing winter days for? Whose funeral would a nation, or at least a city, actually grind to a halt for? As the world did for Diana, Pope John Paul II and Michael Jackson. As a nation did for John F Kennedy

I’m not suggesting I have a finger on the pulse for the sympathies of the populations of every city, nation or continent but I’ll list some names, and what I think would be the scope of their ‘vigil’.

Icon

Occupation

Impact

Nelson Mandela

World Statesman

Global

The Queen

Head of State, United Kingdom

Global

Barack Obama

President, United States

Global

Oprah Winfrey

Television chat show host

Global

Jay-Z

Rapper, Businessman

New York

David Beckham

Footballer

Global

Amitabh Bhachan

Bollywood Actor

India, Pakistan

Ivete Sangalo

Singer

Brazil

Diego Maradona

Footballing Legend

Global

Hillary Clinton

Secretary of State, United States

Global

Bill Clinton

Former President, United States

Global

Vladimir Putin

Prime Minister, Russia

Russia

Muhammad Ali

Former Heavyweight Champion

Global

Madonna

Singer

Global

Sachin Tendulkar

Cricketer

Asia

Justin Bieber

Singer

North America

I’ve suggested some here but please feel free to agree or disagree with me. More importantly, please add more and ask your friends in places far afield to contribute with their local knowledge.

I’m woefully conscious that the list is missing many icons from Africa, Middle East and Asia, particularly the Far East. Rather than chastise me for being so Western-centric, please help by adding them. A couple of lines about them and perhaps a link to their Wiki too would be great

This is just hypothetical, of course, there is nothing to suggest that any of these icons are on the Grim Reaper’s hit list, and neither would I want anybody to assume that I’m hoping for the swift expedition of their time with us. Well, maybe one of them…

An opinionated, social commentator and cultural critic with something to say about everything. Usually polemic and not always well thought through. Something of an insensitive, hypocritical contradiction of altruistic folly, he observes what is wrong with society, snears at, examines and dissects it then walks away in disgust, offering little by way of solution. Believes the world needn't actually change, and dumbing down is unnecessary, we just need to find a way to eradicate the really stupid. He's part of the problem.

– Stevie Wonder – though I think USA, and minor reverberations in some other regions

– Paul McCartney, but I think mainly UK

– Jackie Chan, I think China (I actually thought about including him in my list) – where did you meet him? Photo?

– Elizabeth Taylor, yes and no… ummm… would the world stop? Today? Really?

– Janet Jackson, yes I think so too. But scope? I think USA

Some people seem to have missed the point, however, as I've received messages and tweets guffawing at my inclusion of Justin Bieber (not you Grenada Spice). I think those people should re-read the article. I'm not a fan of Master Bieber, but to deny that his sudden death or illness would rock North American teens is somewhat…